Ball quality evaluation in softball and the effects of differences on hitting results

Abstract

　Softball is a game similar to baseball, albeit with certain different characteristics, such as the pitching style of the pitcher. In baseball, various analyses have been conducted so far on the qualities of pitches thrown by pitchers, and they have been confirmed to affect the hitting results. However, in softball, the qualities of pitches thrown by pitchers and their relationship with the hitting results have not yet been appropriately evaluated. This study aimed to identify the pitch qualities of pitchers in softball and their effect on the hitting results. First, the pitch quality of 16 softball pitchers was evaluated based on bullpen pitching. Subsequently, the hitting results, either fly ball or grounder, were analyzed in terms of the games. The results indicated individual differences in the direction of the fastball's axis of rotation in softball. In addition, although the ball velocity was not related to the hitting results, the number of effective revolutions in the direction of topspin was found to be related to the percentage of ground balls hit. Pitches with high effective rotation rates in the direction of topspin were concluded to be the cause for ground ball hitting because the downward change in the pitch exceeded that predicted by the batter. These results suggest that in softball, pitchers may possibly control the batters' hitting outcomes by adjusting their pitch quality.